I AM who I AM

I AM

I am a mature woman and affectionate mother

I wonder how to serve others in a better way

I hear my future grandchildren laughing at me

I see the trees growing in my backyard

I want to become an angel one day

I am a girl on a journey.

I pretend to travel to other countries

I feel love deeply in my heart

I touch the ground with hands

I worry that I cannot be a part

I cry when I sing “happy birthday”

I am a girl on a journey.

I understand that life continues beyond this time

I say a pray before sleeping

I dream of living without any fear

I try to be a good example

I hope to improve everything I learned

I am a girl on a journey.

My winter impressions...

WINTER

Winter looks like a field of cotton
Winter smells like fresh veggies with blue cheese
Winter sounds like a freezing whistle in ears
Winter tastes like kisses on lips
Winter feels like soft cheeks
Winter is a snowing day in Knoxville!!!

Justice and Liberty for all

I am learning many different aspects of the United States history during Dr. Hendricks' s classes. Each class is like a flood of new information and knowledge. Most of the time, history is told by winners not for losers. In our classes, however, we can see the other side of facts. For instance, there are questions concerning Justice and Liberty.  To respond it, we should think about important matters as pledge, allegiance, republic and cohesion. African-Americans, Indians, latino-Americans  and others , all of them,  have no the same rights or treatment. Until today, since a long time, lots of people, in this country have been working for the accomplishment of the American Constitution that says everyone is equal under the law.

I am sure that so many efforts bring good results. We could see how things work well when the official institutions really worried about the welfare of people. The Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina is a typical exemple of this. There, the remmanescents of ancient Cherokee tribes live in a respectful way of living. They have their civil rights preserved, staying togheter and raising their offsprings with dignity and honor. They are free to handed down their culture to the future generation in harmony with the new habits and behavior.

Sad pages of American History shows the slavery with all its cruelty. Black people beeing treatened like non-humans by those white and rich ones. Economy must goes increasing, agriculture had to   expands with the slave's hardworking, and the whites ought to be served by  a dark-skin women or men. The Civil War happend because of the insanity of hard minds that never gave to the slaves, the right to choose what to do with their lives. Although, at least one voice raised in favor of the freedom. benjamin Banneker, boldly and corageously wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson, questioning

some issues.. Then, the long jorney for Justice and Liberty started to be stepped. It goes on untill the day that all men will be indeed created equal.

 

 

Language Environment in Class by Zara

  Creating a language environment in English classes demands all sorts of materials, interesting strategies to teach and an effective methodology. Teenagers can`t do any activity for more than fifteen minutes because they feel boring. Thinking of it, I always seek for new ideas to bring to my classes. To start conviniently, I ask  them to choose something funny to warm them up. They love it. Sometimes they want to talk about songs or games, sharing their experiences. During at least five minutes they are free. After that, I say what I am going to teach, eliciting them to participate and tell what they know concerning the matter.

Certainly, I have the best expectations each time I get in the classroom. At least, I hope the students feel comfortable reading texts, doing written exercises, listening the dialogs, and be encouraged to speak. I have a strong wish to be a friendly and creative teacher. The biggest problem is that some of them refuse to learn anything; then, they behave badly to disturb everyone, causing arguments and disagreements. These actions tumble down what could be a safe place and a pleaseful time.

It`s a little difficult to me, as a teacher to reduce the anxiety that hangs over our heads or ties our tongues, or make us sick for a while. The best way to eliminate stressful situations, I guess, is laughing at the student`s tricks, when you are almost having a strike, a nervous colapse, a heart attack or something like this. That`s what I do to prevent diseases like madness, depression, burnout and so on...

 

Assignment report

Visiting the Lenoir City Schools last Wednesday afternoon, was one of the most amazing activities I have done for these weeks in Knoxville. We were welcomed by gentle people who work there. Before going through the halls and classrooms, we had a delicious lunch for free. The contact with the teens was also unusual. I went to a Juniors class where the teacher, first name Mark, introduced us to the students. The subject he was teaching was related to essays. It seemed to be a pleasure for all the students because they behaved positively and as good participants. 

After that, we went to the Elementary School near the door . Despite of the bad weather outside, children showed to be good and comfortable. I liked the way which classrooms are organized  and how teachers deal with kids, leading them to the knowledge without any stress or pressure, making them to feel confident and prepared to step farther.

In both schools I saw similarities and differences with the schools I work. I saw teachers very hardworking ,  some worried about the results of education and all of them interested in doing a good job like us, in Brazil.  Schools here are better supplied than in my country; they have much proper space to develop activities. Students in general, demonstrated to be respectful for each other in a cooperative manner; However, as well as in Brazil, there are problems of discipline, irresponsibility of parents and lack of human values. All in all, teachers and students are the same here, there and everywhere...